In the world of fashion, full dress is often seen as the pinnacle of elegance and refinement. The own name of this style suggests a state of completeness, a total commitment to style, and a level of formality that has become increasingly rare in today’s casual culture. However, full dress has not always held the same connotations or followed the same rules. To fully appreciate the role full dress plays in contemporary fashion, one must first delve into its historical roots.
Stepping back into the late 18th century, a time when fashion as we know it was first taking shape, men’s full dress can be seen as consisting of silk stockings, breeches, a waistcoat, a cravat, and a coat and hat made of fine fabric. Women’s full dress featured a core piece, the exquisite gown. The form of the dress has changed over the years, but it was typically completed with gloves, jewelry, and a fan used not only to flutter coyly but also to convey subtle messages with a well-known language of gestures. The grandeur of the ensemble was only enhanced by the endless layers of taffeta and richly embroidered fabrics.
As we enter the Victorian era in the 19th century, full dress began to evolve with the social and economic changes of the times. For men, the frock coat, top hat and tight-fitted trousers became synonymous with full dress. Women’s fashion, however, saw a major shift from the empire-waisted gowns of the Georgian era to more restrictive, heavily boned corsets which created the illusion of an exaggeratedly hourglass figure.
In the Roaring Twenties, changes in full dress fashion were startling. Men were no longer required to wear tailcoats and instead could don the now-iconic dinner jacket or tuxedo. For women, the free-spirited flapper dress with its dropped waist and shimmering ropes of pearls was a drastic departure from the heavily corseted, floor-length gowns of the Victoria era. This was also the first time women occasionally wore trousers for evening affairs, signaling a progressive shift in gender norms.
The post-war era of the mid-20th century further saw the simplification of formal wear. The rise of the cocktail dress, a shorter and less formal gown, represents the growing cultural shift towards casual wear. Men’s dinner jackets became acceptable in dark shades other than black, and ties were more common than bow ties.
Today, full dress, once an everyday requirement for respectable men and women, has shifted from a daily norm to a special occasion or even costume wear. Despite these changes, the craftsmanship, luxurious fabrics, and high degree of style associated with full dress continue to fascinate us, imbuing red carpet events and black-tie affairs with a long-awaited sense of novelty and spectacle.
In documenting the history of full dress, one sees not simply changes in style, but societal shifts, changing beauty standards, and the evolving role of women and men in society. From the corseted gowns of the Victorian era to the androgynous statement pieces of today, full dress proves to be more than just clothing; it is a unique reflection of our history.